Leptogenesis with four gauge singlets

We consider a generic type of leptogenesis model which can successfully produce the correct value of the observed baryon number to entropy ratio. The main feature of this model is that it is a simple TeV scale model, a scale accessible in near future machines, with a minimal particle content. Both supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric versions of the model are feasible. This model also gives left-handed neutrino masses compatible with all current data from direct and indirect neutrino experiments.Comment: 13 pages, 9 PS figures, REVTe

Can R-parity violation explain the LSND data as well?

The recent Super-Kamiokande data now admit only one type of mass hierarchy in a framework with three active and one sterile neutrinos. We show that neutrino masses and mixings generated by R-parity-violating couplings, with values within their experimental upper limits, are capable of reproducing this hierarchy, explaining all neutrino data particularly after including the LSND results.Comment: 7 pages, Latex, 3 PS figures; in v2 a few clarifying remarks included and two references added (to appear in Physical Review D

Successful Leptogenesis in SO(10) Unification with a Left-Right Symmetric Seesaw Mechanism

We study thermal leptogenesis in a broad class of supersymmetric SO(10) models with a left-right symmetric seesaw mechanism, taking into account flavour effects and the contribution of the next-to-lightest right-handed neutrino supermultiplet. Assuming M_D = M_u and a normal hierarchy of light neutrino masses, we show that four out of the eight right-handed neutrino mass spectra reconstructed from low-energy neutrino data can lead to successful leptogenesis with a reheating temperature in the (10^9 - 10^10) GeV range. In the remaining four solutions, leptogenesis is dominated by N_2 decays, as in the type I seesaw case. We find that some of these spectra can generate the observed baryon asymmetry for reheating temperatures above 10^10 GeV, in contrast to the type I case. Together with flavour effects, an accurate description of charged fermion masses turns out to be a crucial ingredient in the analysis.Comment: 32 pages, 23 figures. v2: 2 comments [below Eq. (53) and at the end of the conclusions] and 1 reference added, typos corrected. Version to be published in Nucl. Phys.

Enhancing lepton flavour violation in the supersymmetric inverse seesaw beyond the dipole contribution

In minimal supersymmetric models the $Z$-penguin usually provides sub-dominant contributions to charged lepton flavour violating observables. In this study, we consider the supersymmetric inverse seesaw in which the non-minimal particle content allows for dominant contributions of the $Z$-penguin to several lepton flavour violating observables. In particular, and due to the low-scale (TeV) seesaw, the penguin contribution to, for instance, \Br(\mu \to 3e) and $\mu-e$ conversion in nuclei, allows to render some of these observables within future sensitivity reach. Moreover, we show that in this framework, the $Z$-penguin exhibits the same non-decoupling behaviour which had previously been identified in flavour violating Higgs decays in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figures, 4 tables; v2: minor corrections, version to appear in JHE

Body mass index vs deuterium dilution method for establishing childhood obesity prevalence, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Senegal, Tunisia and United Republic of Tanzania

Objective -- To compare the World Health Organization (WHO) body mass index (BMI)-for-age definition of obesity against measured body fatness in African children. Methods -- In a prospective multicentre study over 2013 to 2017, we recruited 1516 participants aged 8 to 11 years old from urban areas of eight countries (Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Senegal, Tunisia and United Republic of Tanzania). We measured height and weight and calculated BMI-for-age using WHO standards. We measured body fatness using the deuterium dilution method and defined excessive body fat percentage as > 25% in boys and > 30% in girls. We calculated the sensitivity and specificity of BMI z-score > +2.00 standard deviations (SD) and used receiver operating characteristic analysis and the Youden index to determine the optimal BMI z-score cut-off for classifying excessive fatness. Findings -- The prevalence of excessive fatness was over three times higher than BMI-for-age-defined obesity: 29.1% (95% CI: 26.8 to 31.4; 441 children) versus 8.8% (95% CI: 7.5 to 10.4; 134 children). The sensitivity of BMI z-score > +2.00 SD was low (29.7%, 95% CI: 25.5 to 34.2) and specificity was high (99.7%, 95% CI: 99.2 to 99.9). The receiver operating characteristic analysis found that a BMI z-score +0.58 SD would optimize sensitivity, and at this cut-off the area under the curve was 0.86, sensitivity 71.9% (95% CI: 67.4 to 76.0) and specificity 91.1% (95% CI: 89.2 to 92.7). Conclusion -- While BMI remains a practical tool for obesity surveillance, it underestimates excessive fatness and this should be considered when planning future African responses to the childhood obesity pandemic

Enhanced Higgs Mediated Lepton Flavour Violating Processes in the Supersymmetric Inverse Seesaw Model

We study the impact of the inverse seesaw mechanism on several low-energy flavour violating observables such as tau decaying to three muons in the context of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. As a consequence of the inverse seesaw, the contributions of the right-handed sneutrinos significantly enhance the Higgs-mediated penguin diagrams. We find that different flavour violating branching ratios can be enhanced by as much as two orders of magnitude. We also comment on the impact of the Higgs-mediated processes on the leptonic B-meson decays and on the Higgs flavour violating decays.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, version to appear in JHE

Association between Helicobacter pylori genotypes and severity of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastric mucosal interleukin-8 levels: evidence from a study in the Middle East

Background: The varied clinical presentations of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection are most likely due to differences in the virulence of individual strains, which determines its ability to induce production of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in the gastric mucosa. The aim of this study was to examine association between cagA, vacA-s1 and vacA-s2 genotypes of H. pylori and severity of chronic gastritis and presence of peptic ulcer disease (PUD), and to correlate these with IL-8 levels in the gastric mucosa. Methods: Gastric mucosal biopsies were obtained from patients during esophagogastroduodenoscopy. The severity of chronic gastritis was documented using the updated Sydney system. H. pylori cagA and vacA genotypes were detected by PCR. The IL-8 levels in the gastric mucosa were measured by ELISA. Results: H. pylori cagA and/or vacA genotypes were detected in 99 patients (mean age 38.4±12.9; 72 males), of whom 52.5% were positive for cagA, 44.4% for vacA-s1 and 39.4% for vacA-s2; and 70.7% patients had PUD. The severity of inflammation in gastric mucosa was increased with vacA-s1 (p=0.017) and decreased with vacA-s2 (p=0.025), while cagA had no association. The degree of neutrophil activity was not associated with either cagA or vacA-s1, while vacA-s2 was significantly associated with decreased neutrophil activity (p=0.027). PUD was significantly increased in patients with cagA (p=0.002) and vacA-s1 (p=0.031), and decreased in those with vacA-s2 (p=0.011). The level of IL-8 was significantly increased in patients with cagA (p=0.011) and vacA-s1 (p=0.024), and lower with vacA-s2 (p=0.004). Higher levels of IL-8 were also found in patients with a more severe chronic inflammation (p=0.001), neutrophil activity (p=0.007) and those with PUD (p=0.001). Conclusions: Presence of vacA-s1 genotype of H. pylori is associated with more severe chronic inflammation and higher levels of IL-8 in the gastric mucosa, as well as higher frequency of PUD. Patients with vacA-s2 have less severe gastritis, lower levels of IL-8, and lower rates of PUD. The presence of cagA genotype is not associated with the severity of gastritis or IL-8 induction in the gastric mucosa. The association of cagA with PUD may be a reflection of its presence with vacA-s1 genotype